about
Our Story
A 125-year legacy of helping children & families find their inner light.
1900
- In 1900, the Virginia Annual Conference of the Methodist Church is granted a charter from state legislature to build an orphanage on 3900 West Broad Street in Richmond.
- The Virginia Conference Orphanage of the Methodist Church opens its doors to seven children in 1902.
1910 – 1920
- The Virginia Conference Orphanage of the Methodist Church flourishes as a farming community and includes a school, print shop and dairy.
- The orphanage also operates a farm and camp in New Kent County, about 30 miles east of Richmond.
1920 – 1930
- At the outset of the Great Depression in 1929, many children are placed at the orphanage because of financial necessity.
- The number of residents peaks at 365 children.
1930 – 1940
- The Methodist Church devotes the month of December to raise funds for the orphanage. Prior to this, the Board requested that a 10 percent assessment be placed on pastors’ salaries as a means to financing the orphanage’s operations.
- Income from farming and special church collections provide funding.
1940 – 1950
- Following the passage of the Social Security Act in 1935, the number of children living at the orphanage declines due to the growing availability of public assistance for families.
1950 – 1960
- The farm at Broad Street closes.
- The Virginia Conference Orphanage of the Methodist Church is renamed to the Virginia Methodist Children’s Home, serving children on a temporary basis with the goal of them returning them to their families.
1960 – 1970
- The farms in New Kent are closed and sold. Funds from the sale, plus funds from land sold on Broad Street and a Conference Fund Drive, are used to finance new cottages and other buildings on the Broad Street property.
1970 – 1980
- Charterhouse School opens on the Broad Street campus and is named after the school of John Wesley, founder of the Methodist Church. Charterhouse School provides special education for youth in residential care.
1980 – 1990
- To meet changing societal needs, the Annual Conference votes to rename the Virginia Methodist Children’s Home to United Methodist Family Services of Virginia.
- An emphasis is placed on involving the whole family to help meet the needs of children. Programs expand to include adoption, foster care, and residential treatment for youth, while regional centers open in Northern Virginia and Tidewater.
1990 – 2000
- United Methodist Family Services opens a satellite office of the Northern Virginia Regional Center in Harrisonburg. Fredericksburg Regional Center opens, offering treatment foster care and mentoring services.
- Guardian Place, a 120-unit apartment building for people over 55 with low-to-moderate income opens. Construction begins on expanded buildings for Charterhouse School.
2000 – 2010
- United Methodist Family Services turns 100, abbreviates its name to UMFS, and opens a regional center in South Central Virginia with a satellite office in Farmville.
- Leland House, residential stabilization for youth, opens in Centreville.
- The new building for Charterhouse School opens on the Richmond campus, and career and technical education is added to the curriculum.
- Shineforth and the Virginia Department of Social Services launch Project LIFE.
2010 – 2020
- UMFS celebrates its 120th anniversary, completes its second capital campaign, and sells Guardian Place Senior Living in Richmond. Both transactions fund enhancements to the Richmond campus.
- Charterhouse gets a new school building, and the Child & Family Healing Center replaces its 1950s-era cottages with state-of-the-art offices and residential suites.
2020 – present
- The Leland House partnership between UMFS and Fairfax County ends.
- UMFS partners with the Caminos® Program, which serves recently migrated youth.
- UMFS launches the Generosity Collective, an initiative in which it provides no-cost administrative and collaborative spaces for grassroots nonprofits.
- Permanency and Stability Support (PSS) are added to the suite of services.
- On September 29, 2025, UMFS reintroduces its new look and name, Shineforth.
Celebrating 125 Years
We’re thrilled to honor 125 years of Shineforth transforming lives and building brighter futures.
Since 1900, we’ve been a source of hope and resilience, creating meaningful change for children, families, and communities. This milestone celebrates our legacy and renews our commitment to the future.
Get to Know Shineforth
Where Passion & Purpose Meet.
For generations, our mission has remained the same — to build stronger families, brighter futures, and healthier communities. Explore the stories, leaders, and milestones that keep our light shining.
Illuminating paths forward. Building brighter futures.
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